The full moon has risen, turning the stream into a gleaming silver ribbon as you float in the water seeking relief from the lingering heat of the day. What would normally be a mirror smooth surface is filled with ripples as your ouranian koi hatchling plays tag with others of its kind before darting off to inspect a sleeping otter. It will be some time before it is strong enough to leave on an interstellar journey but there is no hurry. For now you are content to drift in the current and watch the stars above as your koi hatchling excitedly leaps over you, water droplets glittering as it splashes your face.

The largest and longest lived of all koi, ouranian koi are also among the most unusual. They easily attain lengths of over fifteen feet and are the preferred battle mounts of the merfolk who will often ride ouranian koi in attacks against pirates and others they deem invaders. Ouranian koi are also favorites with magi who study the stars, for these koi will spend decades and sometimes even centuries travelling through space to visit distant worlds before returning to the stream. The patterns on their scales are said to be depictions of the planets they have visited, and indeed koi who have traveled together often carry near identical patterns which has led to many scrolls and books in the library filled with intricate drawings and essays detailing which stars the koi are believed to have traveled to. No one is quite certain why ouranian koi are so driven to make these journeys but many believe that if life exists elsewhere, these koi are vital to its beginnings.